Fishermen urged to learn the differences between king mackerel and Spanish mackerel

RALEIGH, NC (WECT) - State officials are urging North Carolina fishermen to know the differences between king mackerel and Spanish mackerel.

Confusing the two fish is problematic because the size limit on king mackerel is twice the length of the size limit for Spanish mackerel. Also, the bag limit for Spanish mackerel is five times higher than the bag limit for king mackerel.

Anglers who get the fish mixed up may have to pay up to $255 in fines and associated court costs.

North Carolina Marine Patrol recently handed out 12 tickets to recreational fishermen in the southern coastal area of the state for taking undersized king mackerel and possessing over the bag limit for king mackerel.

"In one day, we seized 58 fish," said Officer Jon Hall, who patrolled the Cape Fear River at Southport Saturday. "People are just misidentifying king mackerel as being Spanish mackerel," Hall said.

To avoid getting a ticket, fishermen need to learn to tell the difference between the two fish.

Adult Spanish mackerel and juvenile king mackerel can look a lot alike. Both are long, slender fish with a forked tail and bronze-colored spots on the body. But the Spanish mackerel features a black spot on the first dorsal fin that the king mackerel lacks.

Also, the king mackerel has a pronounced dip in the lateral line below the second dorsal fin. The line on the Spanish mackerel gently curves to the tail.

The size limit for king mackerel is 24 inches fork length (from the tip of the snout to the fork in the tail). Recreational fishermen are allowed to keep 3 fish per person, per day.

The size limit for Spanish mackerel is 12 inches fork length, and recreational fishermen are allowed to keep 15 fish per person, per day.

For more information, please visit the state marine fisheries agency's website at http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/marine-fisheries.